


burn down the whole world

by Woahsos



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Crowley, aziraphale is a lil insecure about his body, i know this trope has been done before but it makes me so soft okay, they’re so in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 19:25:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19470553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woahsos/pseuds/Woahsos
Summary: shadwell makes an off-hand comment. he really meant no harm, aziraphale knew that. but he was still allowed to be upset.if only crowley didn’t make such a big deal out of it.





	burn down the whole world

Shadwell really meant no harm. The old man made rude comments all the time without really thinking about it. He had no ill intentions, and he really was quite pleasant most of the time. Aziraphale knew that.

But it still hurt a little bit.

Madame Tracy had invited him over for tea, and he had missed her company so he said yes. They had grown quite close since they had, well, inhabited the same body for a brief period of time. Aziraphale found it nice to talk about completely mundane things with someone who was actually mundane. 

Of course he loved talking to Crowley about anything and everything as well. They could talk for hours and Aziraphale would never get bored. But sometimes, he had to get out of the house or he started to feel trapped.

Crowley had understood, of course he had, he was always understanding and accommodating to Aziraphale’s comfort. So he had encouraged Aziraphale to have tea with Madame Tracy, and Aziraphale was excited to sit with her and chat. And he figured it would be nice to see Sergeant Shadwell again, now that he had mellowed out a bit since getting with Madame Tracy. 

And it was nice! At first. Until Madame Tracy had brought out food. 

It was only sandwiches, nothing too heavy. She made food every time Aziraphale came over. It was tradition.

But Shadwell, who was sitting on the other side of the room reading a book, distractedly stated, “You had better stop feeding the lad, he’s getting a bit pudgy.” 

“Oh, quiet you.” Madame Tracy had replied back. Turning to Aziraphale, she said, “You look perfectly fine, dear.”

Aziraphale had smiled, but the comment had made his blood rush in his ears, and his appetite had vanished. 

_Pudgy_.

Sure, he had noticed that he was a bit more filled out than other people, but he tried not to pay too much attention to it. It was hard though sometimes. Like when he looked in the mirror to get dressed in the morning, or when Crowley’s hands rested on his hips, and they were pressed together and Aziraphale became aware of just how plump his stomach was. 

Crowley would notice when he shied away from their embraces, or tried to put space between them as they lay together. He would assure Aziraphale that there was nothing wrong with his body, Crowley loved every inch of him and he always would. It relaxed Aziraphale sometimes.

But other times, he couldn’t help but notice how much thinner Crowley was, and he couldn’t help but compare himself. Surely Crowley would want to be with someone who wasn’t so disgusting to look at, someone better than Aziraphale. He deserved someone more appealing.

These thoughts made Aziraphale jerk back from the table, and he quickly excused himself, saying he had an appointment at the shop that he had forgotten about. Lies, obviously, and they could tell. But Aziraphale was having trouble breathing and he needed to get out of there. He was out the door before he could even hear Madame Tracy protest. 

Aziraphale felt comforted back at the bookshop, surrounded by the words and pages of those he had known or heard of in the past. He had silenced the telephone in the shop after it rang the first two times, leaving him alone with the books and his thoughts.

And, of course, his thoughts were nowhere good.

Was he letting himself go? He tried to keep his body functioning the way most humans do, in order to feel more in place, but maybe he should get a better hold of himself. He didn’t want to be _pudgy_ , the word just sounded gross. He wanted to be beautiful, like an angel should be. He wanted Crowley to think he was beautiful.

His thoughts became so overwhelming that pressure built behind his eyes, and a few tears slipped down his cheeks before he could stop them. Despite how disgusting he felt, all he wanted was to be held in Crowley’s embrace and reassured that he wasn’t the revolting creature he thought himself to be. 

As if on cue, the bell above the door rang, even though Aziraphale knew he had locked it when he came in.

”Angel? Are you home yet?” Crowley’s voice floated through the shop, almost putting Aziraphale at ease. Almost. 

He had barely lifted a hand to wipe away his tears when Crowley found him. That made his heart swell in his chest. He never had to call out for Crowley, he would always just find him. 

But right now, he wished he had a few more moments before he was found, because Crowley already looked concerned and was already dropping to his knees in front of Aziraphale.

”Angel, what’s wrong? What happened?” Crowley said lowly, lifting his hand to wipe away the few remaining tears resting on Aziraphale’s cheeks.

Aziraphale tried to smile reassuringly, but he knew it came out shaky and unconvincing.

”Oh, nothing. Just...I just...I got in my head, that’s all.” He took Crowley’s hand in his own and brought it down to rest on his knee, running his thumb over Crowley’s knuckles. It was more to ground himself than Crowley, but only he had to know that.

”Don’t lie to me Angel. Please, tell me what happened so I can make it better.” Crowley pleaded, now taking both of Aziraphale’s hands in his. 

This brought fresh tears to Aziraphale’s eyes. Crowley made him feel so overwhelmingly loved, and he knew he didn’t deserve it. Crowley was too good to him, always doting on him and comforting him. He was so honest and open with Aziraphale, letting his guard down when they were alone together. He couldn’t lie to Crowley for long, it would be unfair.

”Oh, just...Shadwell made a comment about my weight. You know how he is, never really thinking about what he’s saying. But it really isn’t a big deal, my dear, I’m the one who overthought it.” Aziraphale tried to reassure him, squeezing his hands to show that he was fine.

Crowley could see right through him.

Though his eyes were shielded by his sunglasses, Aziraphale could sense the moment that they became cold. The rest of his face fell, and he inhaled sharply.

”I’ll kill him.” Crowley said darkly.

”You won’t!” Aziraphale said, sitting up straighter, “Really, Crowley, don’t make a fuss about it, he says those kinds of things to everyone!”

”Not to you, Angel, not on my watch.” Crowley replied. He pried his hands out of Aziraphale’s grip and stood, already heading for the door. Aziraphale followed him out to the Bentley, climbing in the passenger seat. 

“Crowley, dear, please. It wasn’t anything too mean. He just said I was getting a bit pudgy, and he’s right anyhow. Please, don’t blow it out of proportion!” Aziraphale pleadead.

This did not seem to calm Crowley like he’d hoped it would. Obviously. The car sped up dangerously, and Crowley had a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. 

Aziraphael began shaking. Crowley hadn’t done something truly evil or harmful in so long, and Aziraphael didn’t want him to break that streak now. He especially didn’t know if he could handle seeing Crowley do it. Crowley was good and kind to him, always holding him tenderly and speaking to him softly. He didn’t want to see Crowley as dangerous, or something to be feared. 

But, before he could express any of these worries to Crowley, they were parked outside of Shadwell’s flat and Crowley was barging up to the front door without even closing the cars door behind him.

Azirphale quickly followed, trailing after him as he busted through the front door without bothering to knock or anything. Aziraphale tried reasoning with him again, tugging on his jacket sleeve and grabbing his arm. But Crowley ignored him, marching all the way into the tea room, where Shadwell and Madame Tracy now both sat at the table. Aziraphale honestly felt like he could cry _again_. 

Crowley had Shadwell out of his seat and up against the wall before anyone could register what was happening. 

“What exactly did you say about my angel when he was here for tea earlier, Sergeant Shadwell?” Crowley asked. He sounded perfectly calm and harmless, but the smoke coming from his hands and Shadwell’s jacket said that he was anything but.

Shadwell stuttered, “Well I-you see...he was...I just said that-“

” _What did you say?”_ Crowley screamed, flames bursting through his grip on Shadwell’s jacket.

”Crowley!” Aziraphale exclaimed, him and Madame Tracy both rushing over to the pair. 

Aziraphale pulled Crowley away from him and put out the fire dancing across the jacket. Madame Tracy helped Shadwell out of the singed garment, trying her best to soothe him. He was trembling viscously, looking at Crowley as though he were seeing Satan for a second time. Maybe he was, with the way Crowley was seething. Aziraphale was a little frightened himself. 

“Don’t you _ever_ think that you can talk about my angel like that again.” Crowley said before heading towards the door, setting Shadwell’s desk alight with a wave of his hand.

Aziraphale was quick to put out the flame before any real damage could be done, apologizing profusely as he followed Crowley out the door. He found him leaning against the Bentley with his arms crossed, looking as casual and collected as ever. It infiruted Aziraphale even thought he was still slightly shaken. He couldn’t stop thinking of how cold Crowley had sounded when he spoke to Shadwell, how deadly he sounded.

But, he gathered up his courage and walked toward him, only speaking when he was directly in front of Crowley.

”What on Earth was that about?” He asked. He was going for calm, but it came out more shaky and exasperated.

”He made you cry.” Crowley mumbled.

”I think you overreacted a bit Crowley! You almost set him on fire!”

”And I would’ve done it if you didn’t stop me. I’d set the whole world on fire if it meant you never cried or doubted yourself again!” Crowley stated, not exactly shouting, but loud enough for a few pedestrians to look their way. Crowley glared at them behind his shades until they looked away.

”My dear,” Aziraphale started, gaining Crowley’s attention back. His heart melted as Crowley’s gaze instantly softened, “You know that I’ve always doubted my appearances a bit, but it’s nothing to set the world on fire over.”

”It is to me,” He whispered, bringing his hand up to cup Aziraphale’s cheek. His palm was edging on the side of too warm. “You’re beautiful, angel. You’re ethereal, and you don’t even see it and it makes me want to burn the world down for blinding you to it.”

And for the fourth time that day, Aziraphale felt like he could cry. His heart swelled, and the smile that graced his face was real this time around. He pulled Crowley in to embrace him, wrapping his arms around his middle and laying his head against his chest, where his heartbeat would be. Crowley didn’t hesitate to bring his arms up and squeze Aziraphale to him.

”At least I have you to open my eyes.” Aziraphale whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> my friend convinced me to watch good omens and then we were talking about protective crowley so this was my take on that.  
> idk leave comments and kudos and all that.  
> cry with me about how in love crowley and aziraphale are.


End file.
